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Top left: Hector Hernandez. Bottom
left: Ricardo Robles. Top right Briseida
Hernandez Trejo. Bottom right: Angel
Baxcajay-Perez
Learning to Love Drawing
I believe that learning how to draw
from observation is important for
young students, and it is something
that can be taught. Of course, not all
students will grow up to pursue art,
but the ability to really see is important for everyone. Drawing is observing and reflecting on the world.
It is important to teach this skill
in school because although some students draw from observation at home,
the drawing secrets give them specific
ways to practice. On the other hand,
many of my students who did an
amazing job in class told me that they
Not all students will grow
up to pursue art, but the
ability to really see is
important for everyone.
don't draw much at home, leading me
to think this lesson gives students an
opportunity to realize that they can
actuallydraw!
I recently met up with someone I
knew in elementary school twenty
yearsago.Hesaidheactuallyremembered seeing me "air tracing" in
school, but of course he didn't know
what I was doing at the time. It's
funny that now it is a part of my art
curriculum.
Michelle Savran recently graduated with a
master's degree in art education from the
University of Florida. She teaches art in an
elementary school in Clearwater, Florida.
savranm@pcsb.org
Taking the Secrets Outside
I teach this lesson in the spring when
we have beautiful weather in Florida.
In the class following our initial drawing lesson, we review the drawing
secrets, then take our drawing paper,
clipboards, and pencils outside to draw
en plein air. Students are allowed to
draw anything that looks interesting
to them, as long as they draw from
observation. To complete the unit, I
have students fill out a self-reflection
survey.
NatioNal
StaNdard
Students explore and understand prospective content for works of art.
Web
liNk
vimeo.com/artclasswithmss
schoolartsonline.com
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